SLaM Older Adults Liaison Service
South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust (SLaM) is the main provider of mental health care in Southwark.
It is common for patients who are admitted to general hospital for treatment because they are unwell, for the mental health part of their care to be overlooked.
In older inpatients, aged 65 and over, delirium, dementia and depression are particularly common and often poorly recognised. Our Mental Health of Older Adults and Dementia Clinical Academic Group offer liaison services across four boroughs, Croydon, Lambeth, Lewisham and Southwark.
We have four liaison teams – specialist mental health doctors and nurses that provide help and advice across a total of over 3,300 inpatient beds in hospitals at:
- Croydon University Hospital – 450 beds
- Guy’s Hospital 400 and St Thomas’ Hospital – 840 beds
- University Hospital Lewisham – 450 beds
- King’s College Hospital – 950 beds
Each team takes referrals from staff who need our specialist assessment, advice and support about their patients’ mental health treatment. We speak to patients, relatives and carers on the ward to gather information so that we can find out the best way to help. We can then make recommendations for treatment and advice to hospital staff including doctors, nurses, therapists and care managers.
Where appropriate, the liaison team are involved in deciding what care and support can be given when patients are discharged from hospital including referrals to the community mental health teams and GPs.
